Employment Law & Wrongful Termination Guide – Coral Springs, FL

Introduction: Why Coral Springs Workers Need a Local Employment Law Guide

Nestled in northwest Broward County, Coral Springs is home to roughly 135,000 residents who work in a diverse mix of sectors—health care, tourism, financial services, and a growing technology corridor along the Sawgrass Expressway. Whether you report to a manufacturing plant off Coral Ridge Drive, a storefront on University Drive, or a remote workstation in your home, Florida employment law governs nearly every aspect of your job. Yet many workers still believe they can be fired for any reason at any time without recourse. While Florida is an at-will state, numerous state and federal statutes protect Coral Springs employees from discrimination, retaliation, and wage theft. This comprehensive guide explains those rights, outlines the complaint process, and highlights when to contact an employment lawyer Coral Springs Florida.

All information below is strictly factual and sourced from the Florida Civil Rights Act (FCRA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Florida Minimum Wage Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and published opinions from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and Florida’s Fourth District Court of Appeal. Where facts could not be verified by these authorities, they have been omitted.

Understanding Your Employment Rights in Florida

1. The At-Will Doctrine—And Its Exceptions

Florida follows the common-law principle of at-will employment: an employer may terminate an employee for any reason, or no reason, provided the reason is not illegal. Key exceptions include:

• Statutory Protections. Employers may not fire workers for reasons prohibited by federal or state statutes such as Title VII (race, color, sex—including pregnancy and sexual orientation—religion, national origin), the ADA (disability), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (age 40+), or the FCRA (all of the above plus marital status and AIDS/HIV status under Fla. Stat. § 760.50).

• Retaliation. Discharging or disciplining an employee because they filed a discrimination charge, participated in an investigation, requested overtime, or reported wage theft violates both federal law (e.g., 29 U.S.C. § 215(a)(3)) and Florida law (Fla. Stat. § 448.102).

• Public Policy. Although Florida has not expressly adopted a broad public-policy tort, statutes like Florida’s Workers’ Compensation Retaliation provision (Fla. Stat. § 440.205) prohibit dismissal for filing a workers’ comp claim.

• Contractual Limitations. If you have an individual employment agreement or belong to a union with a collective-bargaining agreement, those contracts can override at-will status by requiring good cause or progressive discipline.

2. Wages and Hours

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) (29 U.S.C. § 201 et seq.) sets the federal minimum wage ($7.25) and overtime requirements, while the Florida Minimum Wage Act (Fla. Stat. § 448.110) establishes a higher state minimum wage that adjusts annually for inflation ($12.00 per hour as of September 30, 2023). Non-exempt employees who work more than 40 hours in a workweek must receive overtime at 1.5 times their regular rate.

3. Leave and Accommodation Rights

• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for qualified employees of employers with 50+ workers within 75 miles.

• ADA & FCRA. Require employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified employees with disabilities unless doing so would cause undue hardship.

• Pregnancy Accommodations. Under Fla. Stat. § 760.10(1)(a), employers cannot discriminate based on pregnancy and must treat pregnant workers the same as others similar in ability or inability to work.

Common Employment Law Violations in Florida

1. Wrongful Termination

Wrongful termination occurs when an employer fires an employee for a reason that contravenes state or federal law. In Coral Springs, common wrongful termination scenarios include:

• Disability Discrimination. Firing a service industry worker after they request a modified schedule for cancer treatments.

• Wage Retaliation. Terminating an hourly employee at a Sawgrass Tech Park start-up after they complained about unpaid overtime—prohibited under FLSA retaliation provisions.

• Whistleblower Retaliation. Dismissing a City of Coral Springs subcontractor for reporting public records violations, covered by the Florida Public Whistleblower Act (Fla. Stat. § 112.3187).

2. Wage and Hour Abuse

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, Florida regularly ranks among the top ten states for minimum-wage and overtime investigations. Frequent local issues include:

• Requiring "off-the-clock" work before or after scheduled shifts.

• Misclassifying employees as independent contractors in construction projects along Wiles Road.

• Pooling tips in violation of 29 U.S.C. § 203(m).

3. Discrimination & Harassment

Coral springs workplace rights encompass more than just paychecks. Discrimination based on protected characteristics under Title VII or the FCRA remains the most cited complaint before the Florida Commission on Human Relations (FCHR). Harassment becomes unlawful when enduring offensive conduct becomes a condition of continued employment or creates a hostile work environment, as defined by the U.S. Supreme Court in Harris v. Forklift Systems, 510 U.S. 17 (1993).

4. Retaliation

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reports that retaliation is now the #1 basis for federal workplace complaints. Florida law mirrors this protection. For example, Section 448.102 makes it unlawful for a private employer to retaliate against an employee who "objects to, or refuses to participate in, any activity, policy, or practice of the employer which is in violation of a law, rule, or regulation."

Florida Legal Protections & Employment Laws

1. Florida Civil Rights Act (FCRA) – Fla. Stat. § 760.01 et seq.

The FCRA applies to employers with 15 or more employees. Key features:

• Provides remedies such as back pay, compensatory damages (capped based on employer size following Title VII limits), and attorney’s fees.

• Requires employees to file an administrative charge with the FCHR or EEOC within 365 days of the discriminatory act.

• If the FCHR does not resolve the charge within 180 days, the employee may request a "right-to-sue" letter and file in state court within 1 year.

2. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Title VII parallels the FCRA but must be filed with the EEOC within 300 days (because Florida is a deferral state with its own agency) or 180 days if not dual-filed. Lawsuits must be filed within 90 days of receiving a right-to-sue letter.

3. Fair Labor Standards Act & Florida Minimum Wage Act

• Standard statute of limitations: 2 years for unpaid wage claims; 3 years if the violation is willful (29 U.S.C. § 255(a)).

• Florida Minimum Wage Act: 4 years, or 5 years for willful violations (Fla. Stat. § 448.110(8)).

• Liquidated damages equal to unpaid wages may be awarded unless the employer demonstrates good-faith compliance.

4. Whistleblower Protections

Florida Private Whistleblower Act (Fla. Stat. § 448.102) protects employees of private companies; Florida Public Whistleblower Act (Fla. Stat. § 112.3187) covers state, county, and city employees, including those working for the City of Coral Springs.

5. ADA & FMLA Interplay

An employee’s request for leave may simultaneously trigger rights under both statutes, as explained in the Eleventh Circuit’s decision Pietras v. Board of Fire Comm’rs, 180 F.3d 468 (11th Cir. 1999). Employers must consider unpaid leave as a reasonable accommodation unless it imposes an undue burden.

Steps to Take After Workplace Violations

1. Collect and Preserve Evidence

• Save emails, text messages, timecards, and performance reviews.

• Document incidents in writing—dates, times, witnesses.

• Retain pay stubs and timesheets for at least three years to support wage claims.

2. Follow Internal Complaint Procedures

Many large Coral Springs employers—such as Broward Health Coral Springs and First Data/Fiserv—maintain anti-discrimination policies that require internal reporting before external action. File a formal HR complaint promptly; failure to do so can reduce damages or bar certain claims under what courts call the Faragher-Ellerth defense (after two U.S. Supreme Court cases decided in 1998).

3. File an Administrative Charge

• Discrimination or Retaliation: File with the EEOC or FCHR. Dual filing is automatic when charges are cross-checked.

• Wage Claims: You may file with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division or send a statutory notice to the employer as required by Fla. Stat. § 448.110(6).

4. Meet Deadlines

Missing filing deadlines is fatal to many employment cases. Use the chart below to track key limitations:

• EEOC/FCHR discrimination charge: 300/365 days.

• FLSA overtime: 2 years (3 if willful).

• Florida Minimum Wage Act: 4 years (5 if willful).

• Private Whistleblower Act lawsuit: 2 years after the retaliatory act.

5. Consider Mediation

Both the EEOC and FCHR offer no-cost mediation. Additionally, the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit (Broward County) requires parties to attend mediation before trial in most civil actions, which can expedite resolution.

When to Seek Legal Help in Florida

Signs You Need an Employment Lawyer

While some disputes resolve internally, consider calling a qualified employment lawyer Coral Springs Florida if:

• You received a "right-to-sue" letter and have less than 90 days to act.

• Your employer offers a severance agreement containing a general release.

• You are facing systemic discrimination or class-wide wage violations affecting multiple employees.

• You suspect retaliation for whistleblowing or requesting medical leave.

Attorney Licensing in Florida

Lawyers must be members in good standing of The Florida Bar. Out-of-state counsel can appear in Florida courts only by motion for pro hac vice admission under Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.510.

Local Resources & Next Steps

Government Agencies Serving Coral Springs Workers

EEOC Miami District Office (serves Broward County) 100 SE 2nd St., Suite 1500, Miami, FL 33131 Phone: 1-800-669-4000 Florida Commission on Human Relations 4075 Esplanade Way, Room 110, Tallahassee, FL 32399 Phone: 850-488-7082 U.S. Department of Labor – Wage & Hour Division, Fort Lauderdale Area Office 299 E Broward Blvd., Suite 821, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 CareerSource Broward Coral Springs Center (Job placement & training assistance) 363 NW 13th St., Suite 150, Boca Raton, FL 33432 (closest full-service center; accessible via Tri-Rail and Broward Transit)

Major Employers in Coral Springs

Understanding employer size matters because discrimination laws like the FCRA and Title VII apply only to employers with 15+ workers. In Coral Springs, major employers include:

• Broward County Public Schools (multiple campuses: J. P. Taravella High, Coral Springs High)

• Broward Health Coral Springs

• Fiserv/First Data (Sawgrass Technology Park)

• ABB Power & Automation

• City of Coral Springs municipal departments

Practical Next Steps

• Request and review your personnel file (Florida Statutes do not require private employers to provide it, but many will upon written request).

• Draft a concise timeline of events and gather supporting documents.

• Schedule a confidential consultation with a Florida-licensed employment attorney.

• Act promptly before deadlines expire.

Additional Authoritative Reading

How to File an EEOC Charge U.S. Department of Labor – FLSA Overview Florida Statutes Chapter 760 – Civil Rights

Legal Disclaimer

This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Employment laws are complex, and outcomes depend on specific facts. Always consult a licensed Florida attorney before taking legal action.

If you experienced workplace discrimination, wrongful termination, or wage violations, call Louis Law Group at 833-657-4812 for a free case evaluation and employment consultation.